MEET THE PRACTITIONERS of Metta @ Baltimore Yoga Village

OnOctober 23, 2015

As of November 1, 2015, Metta is expanding into two brand new treatment rooms built in the heart of the Hampden Baltimore Yoga Village on Chestnut Avenue! We wanted to take a moment to introduce you to the amazing team of practitioners who will be working out of our satellite location. We couldn’t be more excited about the quality and range of services that will be offered!

Chinese Medicine

Star Ferguson, L.Ac., M.Ac., Certified Energetic Healer

Hours: Tuesdays 10:00-6:30, Fridays 8:00-4:00

Star is a healer and a teacher, and really considers them one and the same. She discovered acupuncture as a young adult when she developed allergies that no Western medicine could address. Acupuncture improved her allergy symptoms, but more importantly, she walked out of the treatment profoundly struck by the shift in her perspective on many aspects of life. Her body felt better, and her moods and relationships improved. She also enjoyed the partnership she had with her acupuncturist, who was really a partner in well-being.

Star practices acupuncture and energetic healing. She holds a Master’s Degree in Acupuncture from Tai Sophia Institute and has a Two Year Certification Training in Energetic Healing from WhiteWinds Institute. In addition, Star is a NADA-certified Acupuncture Detoxification Specialist. She has been a faculty member at Maryland University of Integrative Health since 2008.

Star treats a wide variety of issues. She focuses especially on women’s issues (including menstrual and fertility concerns), anxiety, depression, stress, insomnia, digestive issues (including bloating, constipation, diarrhea, and gas), headaches, bladder issues (including frequency concerns, incontinence, recurring cystitis and interstitial cystitis). Star also treats what she calls “general life malaise” which can include a variety of symptoms but revolves around a sense of not feeling your best.

Brooks Wuerdemann, M.O.M., M.Q.P.

Hours: Mondays 2:30-5:30, Wednesday 9:00-2:00

Brooks’ compassion for helping each person on their journey through life brought him to the practice of Chinese medicine through qigong (energy cultivation) in the early nineties.

His professional journey continued with a Master of Acupuncture from Tai Sophia Institute (now Maryland University of Integrative Health) in 2012 where he is now adjunct faculty in the Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Program. He received his certificate in medical qigong from Three Treasures Healing in New York, New York in 2013.

Brooks is a strong believer in deepening his knowledge of Chinese medical theory to be of greater service to his patients and has a deep interest in the Chinese medical classics that use symbols to guide us toward health and wellness in relationship to the natural world.
Brooks is a licensed Acupuncturist in the state of Maryland.

Jeremy Braverman, M.AC., L.AC., LMT

Hours @ BYV: Saturdays 10-6 (Fridays @ Metta on the Ave)

Jeremy received his massage license in 1999 in New York. He studied body psychology at Naropa University, which gave him a greater understanding of the body/mind connection and how ones emotions can affect ones posture and range of motion. He graduated from Maryland University of Integrated health with a masters degree in Acupuncture providing him with another tool to work with the body/mind/spirit of his clients. He believes the job of a wellness practitioner is not only to asses and address the clients concerns, but also educate the client in self-care and body awareness, in order to raise ones understanding of how their symptoms are created.

Jeremy tailors his massage and acupuncture treatments to the individual needs of each client. A self described “anatomy junkie,”, he’s incredibly attuned with the human body and immediately recognizes an area that might be causing regular discomfort. He specializes in acute and chronic pain, stress, injury recovery, sports massage insomnia, digestive disorders, and headaches. He feels blessed to be able to help people live healthier, more fulfilling lives.

Massage & Bodywork

Stephanie Barger, RMP

Hours @ BYV: Wednesdays 2:30-8:00, Thursdays 2:30-8:00

Stephanie’s journey into massage began when she was introduced to Reiki at a young age. It drew her into the world of helping others feel better- it’s a rewarding field and there’s always something new to learn. Stephanie has absorbed and integrated Swedish, Deep Tissue, Trager work, and various other methods of bodywork into her own practice. Her sessions are immensely peaceful. Her work is deep but not too deep, and the session progresses with symmetry and waxing and waning pressure. She encourages her clients to see many different therapists at Metta, as they each bring something new to the experience- she personally trades massage and utilizes those experiences to incorporate new techniques into her work. In this way, her sessions always bring something fresh and new to the table. This philosophy also applies to her delicate use of essential oil- often they rotate with the seasons. Her current autumnal love is Bergamot and Cardamom, a pleasant, warming, energizing blend of spices.

Nyesha Roberts is a Registered Massage Practitioner, practicing massage since 2013 in the Baltimore area. Nyesha believes massage is useful and effective method to release physical and emotional stress while increasing mind and body awareness.

Having a clinical approach, Nyesha strives to bring the body to anatomical position to ease discomfort. Treatment is customized around the muscular structures and energetic properties in and around the body.

Nyesha incorporates Warm/Cold Stones, Reiki, Chakra Balancing, Cupping and Myofascial release based on goals set prior to the session. She also offers these modalities to pregnant clients.

Mary Steinke, LMT

Hours @ BYV: Wednesdays, Thursdays 2:30-8, and alternating Saturdays

Mary is a State Licensed Massage Therapist who brings intellect, intuition, and hands-on experience to her massage therapy practice. Mary understands that wellness has different meanings to different people, and she embodies that philosphy by offering a variety of modalities to help you focus on and your goals. She integrates various principles in yoga/movement, energetic, and Thai massage methods on the massage table.

In addition to completing her comprehensive massage training at Fortis Institute, Mary completed her 200 and 300 hour teacher training through Jivan Teacher Training at Baltimore Yoga Village. She has also become certified to teach VaiHayasa Aerial Yoga and Acroyoga. She brings her real world experience of being a business woman, momma bird, world traveler, and devoted yogini to the treatment room.

Lainie Smith is a Nationally Certified and Maryland State Licensed Massage Therapist. A graduate from the Holistic Massage Training Institute of Baltimore, she specializes in therapeutic massage, energy work, and whole body healing therapies. Lainie’s demeanor is confident and bright, and her friendliness immediately sets the tone for a smooth sailing journey together. She works calmly and eases into a massage, careful to assess the amount of pressure that works best for each of her clients.

As with any massage, it can take a moment to separate your mind from the stressors of day-to-day responsibilities. Lainie makes sure to create a healthy space for slowly releasing those tense emotions. With practices such as Reiki, relaxation massage, shiatsu, and pregnancy massage, she will help you realign your energy and intention to help cultivate a rejuvenated spirit within yourself.